In modern internal combustion engines, the pistons are subjected to ever higher temperature loading in the region of the piston skirt and of the combustion depression. Inadequate dissipation of heat from the piston head leads, during engine operation, to functional impairments of the piston, in particular to coking or oil carbon formation on the piston. This applies in particular to pistons composed of steel materials, as steel has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and is thus a poor heat conductor.